Steam-actuated valve



(No Model.)

J. E. DENTON.

STEAM AOTUATED VALVE.

Patented Sept. 1, 1885.

NlTED STATES ArnNr tries.

JAMES E. nnNroN, or HoBoKEN, NEW JERSEY.

STEAM-ACTUATED VA LVE.

racrrronrron forming part of Letters Patent No. 325,508, dated September 1,1885.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES E. DENroN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hoboken, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Steam-Actuated Valves, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an engine whose valve is worked by steam or air conducted from the main cylinder to the ends of the valvechest; and myinvention consists in the combination, with the valve-chest and with the main cylinder, of three or more passages leading from said main cylinder to the valve-chest, and of a regulatingvalve for lengthening and shortening the stroke of the main piston.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a sectional side view. gitudinal section in the plane m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section in the plane y y, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a similar section in the planezz, Fig. 1. Fig. is adetached sectional view of the regulatingvalve. Fig. 6 is a modification of the same.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, the letter A designates the main cylinder of an engine, which may be worked by steam or by compressed air, and which is of the nature of such engines as are generally used for operating rock-drills. The

, piston which works in this cylinder has two heads, B B, which are connected by an intermediate bar, 3-, of smaller diameter than the heads, so as to leave an annular space, a, between the inner surface of the cylinder and the circumference of the bar B. (See Figs. 1, 3, and 4..)

C is the valve-chest. b b are the steamports leading from this valvc'chest to the ends of the main cylinder. 0 is the exhaust-port leading from the steam-chest to the exhaust pipe 6, and f is the steam-supply pipe. The ends (Z d of the valve-chest are bored out to receive thcheads D D of a piston which serves to move the slide-valve On the main cylinderis firmly secured or cast a cylindrical chamber, F, which contains the regulatingvalve G. This valve'chamber com municates with the interior of the main cylinder by two passages, g and with the valvechest by a passage, g. By referring to Figs.

Fig. 2 is a lon-;

1 and 2 it will be seen that this last-named passage leads into the valve-chest on the side of the head D, so that if steam or compressed air is admitted through this passage the slidevalve will be changed so as to cover the ports I) 0 instead of the ports I) c, which last-named position the slidevalve occupies in Fig. 1. From the interior of the maincylinder leads another passage, h, into the end of the valvechest outside of the head D. (See Figs. 1 and 2.)

The regulating-valve G is hollow, and it is provided with two holes, 72' i'flwhich lead from the outside into the interior of said valve, and which are so situated in relation to the passages 9'9 that when said valve is placed in the valvechamber and turned round either the hole 2'' can be brought to coincide with the passage 9 which I term the first position, or the hole 42 can be brought to coincide with the passage g,which I term the second position. That shown in the drawings, where the hole i coincides partially with the passage 5 and the hole 2' partially with the passage 5 I term the third position. The exhaust-port 0 communicates through a passage, j,with the interior of the main cylinder.

In the position which the parts occupy in Fig. l steam passes from the valve chest through port d into the main cylinder, and the main piston is moved back in the direction of arrow 1, and as soon as the head B of the piston has passed the passages g g steam passes through these passages and the passage 7 into the end (1 of the valvechest, the piston D D is moved into the end (2 of the valve-chest, (the steam in front of said piston being free to eX- haust through passage h, annular space a, passagej, and exhaust-pipe e,) the slide-valve is changed, and the main piston is thrown forward to the position shown in Fig. 1.

If the regulating-valve G is adjusted so that the communication between passage 9 and pas sage g is entirely closed, the movement of the main piston is reversed immediately after the head B has passed the opening in the main cylinder; but if the valve G is adjusted to close the communication between the passages g and g the motion of the main pistonis not reversed until the head B strikes the back head of the main cylinder, and if the valve G is so adjusted that both passages g g are in communication with the passage 9 the length of the stroke of the main piston is intermediate between the strokes produced by the first and second position of the regulating-valve.

By leaving sufficient clearance in the ends (2 d of the valve-chest no buffers are needed to stop or absorb the momentum of the piston D D, for when steam from either or both of the holes 9 and g has entered the end d of the valve-chest sufficiently to throw the slide-valve E the port I) is immediately brought in communication with the exhaust-port c, and thepressure of said steam in the end (1 is thereby reduced to such an extent that itcan no longer overcome the friction. of the piston D D and of the valve E, and this friction absorbs the momentum of the valve, so that no buffer is needed. On the reversed stroke the action is the same.

In the downstroke the action is the same as in the upstroke, already described, except that only one hole, h, is provided to connect the main cylinder directly with the end d of the valve-chest, and consequently the valve D D is thrown at a fixed point or after the main piston passes this hole h. There is no need for any adjustment in this case, as the piston is brought to rest by the resistance of the rock or other material to the forward movement of the bit or cutting-tool attached to the piston. This arrest of motion in this case is sudden or abrupt; but this is exactly what is desired to secure a powerful blow and efiicient action.

In the example shown in Figs. 1 to5, inelusive, the valve G is adjusted by turning it in the chamber F, and a clamp, K, may be used for securing the same in the required position.

In the example shown in Fig. 6 the valve G is provided with adjusting-screws I I in its ends, and by manipulating these screws a sliding movement is imparted to the valve in the chamber F, and when it has reached the required position it is secured in position by said screws.

The device shown in Fig.6 is preferred where the adjustment of the regulating-valve G is only to be made at intervals or in the machineshops, and that shown at G in Fig. 1 is preferred where it is intended that the adjustment should be frequently made or by the user of the drill.

\Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In'an engine having its valve actuated by steam or air from themain cylinder, the combination of the cylinder, the piston, and the valve-chest containing a valve, and having a passage, 71, connecting with the cylinder, a valvechamber, F, secured to the exterior of the cylinder at one end ofbut outside the valveehest, said chamber having a passage, 9, connected with one end of the valve-chest and with passages g connected with the cylinder, and the regulating-valve arranged in said chamber for governing the said passages and serving to lengthen and shorten the stroke of the main piston, substantially as described.

2. In an engine whose valve is worked by steam or air conducted from the main cylinder to the valve-chest, the combination, with the main cylinder having the exhaust-port e, and with the valve-chest having the exhaust-port c, of the passages g g h, the annular space a, between the heads of the main piston and the passage j, leading from the main cylinder into the exhaust ports 0 and c, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES E. DENTON. [L. s] Wi t n esscs:

WV. HAUFF, E. F. KASTENHUBER. 

